Counting device.



' D. LL ROSGOEH.

GOUNTI'NG DEVICE; `APPLIGTION FILED ooqgdgogl.,

' Patented t121115,12, 1909' n une hand in' Partner-3 Hand @wi/m4250120 Zi/W7.

STATES PATENT ormoni-c, 'i

DAVID L. ROSGOE OF THE UNITED STATES AEMY,`ALS SIGNQR.0F ONE-FOURTH TO PITCHER, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY, AND( ONEvEOiURTH' T0 CHARLES, A. MASON,`.

'F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OE COLUMBIA.

COUNTING DEVICE.

No. eoegsaa.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jen, 1a, moe..

Appleman mee october '8, 190s. serial mi. 45am'.

' To all' whom ift may concern: I

- Be it known that I, DAVID L.. Roscon, 2nd' lieutenant United StatesArmy, citizen of' the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Devices, of whichr the following is a; specification. y

This invention relates to counting devices', and particularly to: counting devices for games. Y o

The invention will be described' and illustrated as embodied in a scoring or counting board for use in the game of bridge Whist, 'and while this is the preferred embodiment of the invention it is to' be understood that many features of the invention will be found. useful in counting devices generally.

The usual, and perhaps the most popular method of keepingy a record or score of the various items necessary to be counted during the progress ofthe game of bridge whist is to mark down onI a score card,.or other paper,

the number of points: and honors'to be cred'-v ited to either side in two columns under the Words lVe and They the former of these Words referring to, the side of the sc'ore-keeper, and the latter to that of his or her opponents. The numbers of the honors and points in the two columns are subsequently added to get the totalnumbei' of points for each side. Separate notations are also usually made on the card to indicate the number of games and rubbers Won byl each side. This method of keeping score is objectionable as beinglaborious and incon-A venient, as it frequently calls for: a lengthy and tedious calculation at the end of a series. of games toadd the long columns of figures denoting thepoints, honors, etc. vAnother objection applying to this method of scoring is that the pencil and paper used to keep the score often are misplaced or lost, causing vexatious delays.

Under one form of this invention an object is to provide, in a very compact andconvenient form, a device so constructed as to 4 be attached to the under side of a table, or to Y plete.

' lie uponthe' upper surface thereof, and having an improved arrangement of counters which Will permit any number of items ina game, as for instance in bridgeavhist, to be recorded, or scored, during the progress ofl the game, and which will, furthermore, per^ mit suehitems to be subsequently added. to obtain the tota-l'- points scored, with a minimum amount of labor, and' in a very simple andeii'ective manner.

rlhis `device in its preferred' form comprises a frame dividedinto a suitable numberof sections providing spaces each of which contains a plurali-ty of rods or guides of" special form, arranged in parallel rela-v tion. Each of these guides carriesaseries4 of counters, which haveapertures agreeing with the cross-sectionsof the guides, where-v by the counters are' freely slid-able onthe guides, and are prevented fromv turning thereon. The counters may be in the form of blocks, of rectangular orother suitable conguration, and such counters have, preferably, slightly beveled edges upon which are placed suitable numerals, arranged in the manner IandA for the purpose to be herein- A after more fully described. As herein shown, the various sections of the frame are arranged to representthe several items neces- Asary to be counted in the game of bridge whist, as,V Honors, Points, Totals, Games, and Rubbers,7 and-a set of counters, for each of said'items, is provided induplicate for the tv vo sides laying the game. The frame is also prefgrably provided, at a suitable point, with printed in` 'formation-as to the value of the tricks in the various suits, the value ofhonors in the various suits, etc;

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 represents a\ plan view of the invention com- Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 Fig-1, and Fig. 3 is a detail View,

showing, in perspective, some of the counters', and their guide. i Similar reference characters denote sima.- lar parts throughout.

The frame A is constructed conveniently of elongated, rectangular forni, or it may be of any other form desired. As shown, this frame is divided centrally by a 'Strip B into two equal parts or sections, each of which is in turn divided into three sections by the strips C, to provide spaces, as shown. 'Ihe several sections on each side of the dividing strip B contain counters forkeeping score, those on one side,marked We, being for the scorer and his or her'partner, and those on the opposite side, marked They, being for their opponents, as willk be apparent. As lthe sections on o ne side ofthe stripB are duplicates of those on the opposite yside thereof, a description of one set of such sections and their counters will be sufficient to enable thel'entire device to be understood.

The guides D, which are preferably in;l the form of attened strips, are arranged in spaced, parallel relation, and extend `longitudinally of the spacesprovided by the sections, the ends ofthe guides being rigidly secured to thewalls bounding such spaces.

-T-he counters E are, as herein shown, in the forinzof blocks and have their upper edges beveled in order to present the numerals, whic`h ,are placed upon such edges, at the proper angle` to the eye when the frame occupies ya position slightly distant from the score keeper. This construction, I have found, enables the numerals to be quickly, and readily distinguished, and is a feature' of importance in this invention. The counters are slotted or otherwise suitably apertured to conform to the flattened cross-section of the guides D upon whichthe counters freely slide, bylwhich construction the counters are ,restrained against rotation on their guides, and are, moreover, not so easily displaced by the jarring of the tableupon which the frame may rest, or; to which it may be attached, orvby shaking the .frame when the same is moved.

Each of the several sections of the frame, designated as Honors, Points and To talsf? respectively, contains, preferably, four guide rods, D, and each of said rods carries a series ofcounters, asten, numbered 1,2,3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,0, in regular order, beginning at the top of the section.- In another part-of the frame, as, for instance, above the spaces containing the counters denoting honors, points aand totals, are located, in duplicate, the

guides D1 upon which are slidably mountedl two counters D3, to indicate the games Won by each side 1n a rubber, these counters, respectively, bearing the appropriate numerals, as l, 2. Arranged in close relation to4 'Preferably, the guide rods carrying the counters for indicating the number of games and rubbers won are arranged vto extend transversely to the longest dimension -ofthe frame, andv to the direction of the guides, D. .v Below the sections occupied by the counters whichde'note the totals I may, and preferably do, provide the frame with a marginal space Gr upon which will be written or printed in any suitable manner, and

iin convenient form, the necessary information as to the value of the tricks, honors, etc.,

in the various suits,in bridge whist.

If desired, the frame A may be provided with an attaching ear or "tab Fhaving an aperture to receive a screw or nail, whereby to secure the frame to the underside of a table in such manner as to permit it to swing out of the way, or into position foruse, as desired.

From the above description itis believed that the nature of the device and mode of operation will be readily understood. Reading from right to left, the counters inthe several rows under IIonors Points and Totals represent units, tens, hundreds and thousands, and the honors and points are counted by sliding up the c ounters containing the appropriate numerals to indicate the number of these items to be credited to each side as theyare'won, durvtotals, are moved -on the guides from their lowest to their highestvposit'ions thereon, and the counters indicatinggames andrubbers, are movedfrom yleft-.toright, orv from right to left. Suppose, fforexample, the scorers opponents shof'ildfmake twenty-eight points. Two counters onqthesecond guide from the right-handside ofi; the frame, and eight counters on the tirstguide from said side, will `be raised from their positions shown in the drawing, to the upper part of the space under Points ;7 the numerals upon the lowermost of the shifted counters will then read- 28. If additional points are to be entered up, they may be added to this score, and if the added points reach one hundred, or more, the proper counter on the 'third guide rod will be` shifted, and so on. The same method may be practiced in scoring honors, and, when the totals are desired, but a moment is required to add the units, tens, hundreds and thousands scored in the alined columns of Honors and Points,

guides in the"-Totalsspace to indicate the i .sum of such honors and points.

The manner of counting the. ames and rubbers will beapparent without urther description.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent of the United States is:

1. A counting device comprising a frame divided into sections, each of said sections containing a 'plurality of groups of independent, bodily'movable members, consecutively numbered from unity in each group, the groups representing, respectively, units, tens, hundreds, etc., said members in groups of the same denomination being in alinement, whereby to facilitate the addition of the numerals in the several groups and means for retaining the members of each groupl in serial order.

2; A counting device comprising a number of sections each having a plurality of groups of independent, bodily movable members,

each group representing a denomination, the members of each group being consecutively numbered from unitjg, and means for confining the members of each group to movements in a line parallel with the movements of the members in the adjacent groups, and for holding the members of each denomination in alinement.

3. A counting device comprising a plurality of groups of independenubodily movable members, the members of each group beingT consecutively numbered from unity and said groups beingv adapted to represent, respectively, dili'erent denominations, and means for restricting the members of each group to movements in a definite path whereby said members are retained in serial order.

4. A device of the cla-ss described comprisingva frame, a series of guides thereon arranged side by side, each of said guides carrying a plurality of movable counters consecutively numbered to indicate the score under an item of a game, a second series of guides in line with the first series and each carrying a plurality of counters consecutively numbered to indicate the score under another item of a game, and means to totalize the numbers scored bythe said counters.

5. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a series of guides thereon arranged side by side, each of said guides carrying a plurality ofmovable counters consecutively numbered to indicate the number scored under an item of a game, a second series of guides arranged in line with the first series and each carrying a plurality of movable counters consecutively numbered to indicate the numb-er scored under another item o`f a game, and a third series of guides arranged in line with those of the second seprising a 'frame carrying a set of movable :ries and each carrying a plurality yof imov.-

able counters to indicate'the Sumof the numbers scored by the two tiret-mentioned Series ofcounters. v

' 6. A scoring device for lbridge whist comcounters toy indicate the number of honors; a set of movable counters to indicate the number of points; and a set of movable counters to indicate the sum of the honors and points as scored by their respective counters the counters in the several sets being consecutively numbered and arranged in independent rows to denote, respectively, units, tens, hundreds and thousands, and the counters in rows of the same denomination being in alinement.

7. A scoring device for two sides in bridge whist comprising a frame constructed with a section containing a plurality of rows of movable counters, to'indicate honors; a section containing aplurahty of rows of movable counters to indicate points; and a section containing a plurality of rows of movable counters to indicate totals, the counters being consecutively numbered in each row and the rows in each series being in alinement with the rows of the adjacent series.

8. A scoring device for two sides in bridge whist comprising a frame divided longitudinally into two sections each of which is in turn divided transversely into three sections;

Aindependent sets of movable counters located -eral sections, and arranged to indicate, re-

spectively, the honors, points and totalsyfor the two sides.

A10. In a ame scoring device, a frame havling a gui e thereon, in -combination with counters having apertures to fit said guide whereby to slide thereon, said counters having beveled edges provided with numerals.

11. In a game scoring device, a frame having a guide thereon, in combination with counters having apertures to fit said guide, and constructed to slide but restrained against rotation thereon, said counters having beveled edges provided with numerals.

12. A scoring device for bridge whist comprising a frame carrying flattened guides; independent sets of consecutively numbered blocks .having apertures to ft said guides and slide thereon, to denote the honors; other Yiattened guides, and independent sets of counters consecutively numbered from unity and having apertures to lit said guides and slide thereon to denote the points; and other flattened guides, and independent sets of counters consecutively numbered from unity and having apertures to t said guides and slide thereon to denote the totals, themeni- 10 bers of the several sets of-'guides being in alinement. A

In testimony whereof I have aflixed` my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

-DAVID L. ROSCOE.'

` Witnesses:

l/VALTER E. PAUL, CHARLES LOWELL HOWARD. 

